Future unclear as Monaro Panthers weigh up Premier League changes

By
Joshua Matic

THE Monaro Panthers Canberra Premier League side could undergo changes in personnel for next season as the club looks to move on from another poor result this year, ahead of their last match for 2013 against Belconnen on Sunday.

Monaro Panthers player Sam La Vella in action against Canberra City back in June. Photo: Joshua Matic.

THE Monaro Panthers Canberra Premier League side could undergo changes in personnel for next season as the club looks to move on from another poor result this year, ahead of their last match for 2013 against Belconnen on Sunday.

Coach Njegosh Popovich will coach the ACT schoolboys squad, which plays in Sydney at the national schoolboys tournament next week, and with Monaro players Daniel Linstead, Darian McGarry-Watson, Daniel Hearle and Lewis Bates also in that side, Monaro will enter the McKellar Park clash depleted.

But with the Panthers not having won a premiership since 1999, and having been absent from the top five since 2010, Popovich said the club was going to re-advertise all of its Premier League positions.

"I'm not 100% sure if I'll even be at the club next season," said Popovich.

"It's just something that the club will have to go through. I've been with the club for three years, I've put some things in place, and I think that I've done a good job in terms of development programs that have been put in place."

"But at this stage I'm keeping my options open, and we'll just wait and see."

Popovich said he did not know whether any current players would be leaving, or if any new ones would be recruited yet, but said if the club did hire a new coach, that could influence player movement.

"There could be a new coach that comes in and brings a whole heap of players, we don't know what will happen at this stage."

"I've got a football passion, and I believe we need to concentrate on the Premier League, but there's some different opinions on our community focus at the moment."

"But there's a reality check that needs to be considered as well. Each week we're up against other clubs that spend $100,000 on their players, and we wouldn't even reach 20 per cent of that."

The club will go through a decision making process in the coming weeks.